Monday, April 18, 2005

Flower$

It's an odd place to find such a good article, but the current issue of American Airlines' in-flight magazine, American Way, includes an amazing article on the flower marketplace in Aalsmeer, Netherlands, where most of the world's flowers are bought and sold in a very high-tech auction. Flowers are not commodities, but then again they are not custom products, either. How they are traded around the world is an illuminating glimpse into globalized capitalism - albeit the literally pretty side.

2 Comments:

Beth said...

and you can bet I'll be there. Dan says it's pretty awesome. I just haven't dragged myself out of bed early enough to get there before the flowers are gone at 9 a.m.

9:18 AM  
Beth said...

And did you know that the concept of financial options supposedly originated during a time of speculative tulip buying in the 17th century? One special tulip bulb in 1637 would cost 10 years worth of wages...but that year the bottom fell out and lots of rich people were made poor. Incidently, I have 21 red tulips in my cozy flat right now...bought for only four euros.

9:25 AM  

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